Organizing Kids' Papers (and mom's)

Here is another one of my favorite ways to deal with the avalanche of paper brought on by attending school and other kid activities.
It's the Sparkler Files (AKA action files, AKA tickler files). I call them sparkler files because if I make them pretty and sparkly, people like me are more likely to USE them.
I found this nifty file box at Target recently. It would be great if we could count on it to be there every time, but it's probably a seasonal item. Check there for perty (as they say in Georgia) boxes and folders. These are Smead's Easytab files in yellow.

For kids paper, try giving each child a hanging file (yes... label it) and give each big activity it's own file.
For moms it takes a little more explanation... create files based on what you're going to do next, such as Pay, File, Enter, Go, etc.
You can find out more about how to ste up your own sparkler files in my NEW PLAYBOOK, Color Me Organized.

And today it has a companion playbook, List Me Organized.

Allison on the radio

I was interviewed today on the Family Matters radio show & podcast
Talking about how to save money by getting organized.
I talked to hosts Jacquie and Caroline about how families can save a dime doing simple little things like meal planning, arranging cans by date, cooking for more than one day, and more.
Their podcasts are awesome for families - on tons of subjects that parents want to know about - everything from parenting to living longer.
Listen to the recording:

http://tinyurl.com/6h6khm

or download it from itunes.

Organzing: Top 10 Things Every Family Needs to Get Organized

1. A family Calendar that everyone can see and add to.
2. A label maker
3. Tickler Files: files that sit out on your table, desk, or counter to hold action items such as TO DO, TO PAY, TO GO, TO FILE, PHONE LISTS, COUPONS/GIFT CERTIFICATES, etc.
4. White board or chalk board for leaving messages for one another
5. Laundry baskets in every bedroom and bathroom
6. Garbage cans in every room
7. A shredder
8. A Gift wrap storage center. In drawers, on shelves or hanging. It doesn’t matter. Just keep it all together and easy to maintain.
9. Greeting card & stationary center. It can be a box or a drawer. This will end the problem of buying cards and losing track of them before it’s time to use them.
10. Small plastic bins. They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space.

By Allison Carter
The Professional Organizer
Speaker - Organizer - Professional Organizer Training
http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com